


Within the dark

by zacklover24



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Eye Gouging, F/F, M/M, Multi, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Original Character(s), POV Multiple, Past Cannibalism, Survival Horror, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-19 14:34:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 14,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4749941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zacklover24/pseuds/zacklover24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“A myth is a way of making sense in a senseless world. Myths are narrative patterns that give significance to our existence.”  ― Rollo May<br/>DO NOT GO INTO THE MINES! GOD FORGIVE US! DO GO INTO THE MINES! What lurks below the mines of the new base for female RED team? Nothing good.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The lodge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news everyone this chapter was beta'd.

‘Hunting is not a sport. In a sport, both sides should know they're in the game. Paul Rodriguez’

 

Why do we as humans have this need to hunt? Is it the need to hunt something smaller and weaker than us? The idea that hunting is fun, or is it for survival? When I was a little girl my dad told me, that if you hunt then don’t do it for fun, do it to live. Hunt to survive don’t survive to hunt. 

“Hey Steph can you believe it?” Jamie asks me in her Boston accented voice smiling. 

“No little jay I can’t.” I tell her in my Australian accented voice smiling, it was a crisp autumn afternoon, and the wind held a small chill in it, the sun was just starting to set in the sky and the sky was alive with hues of purple, red, and yellow. Pauling had told us that we were moving to a new base in the middle of the woods. Something new she told us. The team had gone in groups. Jamie and I were the last the go. 

We were sitting in a cable car going up to the base, the car smelled of vomit and the seats were stiff. The cable car station was in a small town at the base of this mountain. The other base was at the top of the mountain. I was sitting down with my arms crossed over my chocolate colored button up and gray jacket, I had on a pair of slacks and black lace up shoes and I was wearing my black cord six teeth necklace. I ran one hand through my medium caramel brown hair that was cut short and messy, my thin almond blue eyes were watching Jamie. 

Jamie had black hair with blonde highlights was tied up in a messy ponytail and round green eyes with a silver butterfly cuff earring in her right ear and was dressed in scruffy orange top, with a red hoodie and a pair of crumpled jeans, and a pair of dirty ankle boots.

“I’ve never been to a mountain base before.” She admits looking out the window. I let out a scoff, and adjusted the hold on my messenger bag, 

“I grew up in the outback little jay.” I inform her. 

“Oh right you did.” She mutters sitting back down in the worn leather seats. 

The cable car soon came to stop, it jerked and cracked but stopped. Jamie let out a small shiver as she gathered up her things and went outside. The station here was a tad smaller than the one at the town. It was made out wood that, looked like it was hit badly by the weather. There was a thin railing that went around the sides and no window glass. 

There was also a pair of benches with old cushions on them on the porch. 

“Caution! Old mine shafts litter the area, the tunnels stretch on for miles. Do be careful.” It was signed by Pauling. 

“Old mine shafts? Do we have anything to worry about?” Jamie asks me. 

“Nein we should be fine.” Freda’s female German accented voice informs us. Fredda was standing there dressed in camouflage colored tunic shirt with skinny jeans, a red hoodie with heels she had mocha golden brown hair that she had up in a bun. She had rounded a la mode smoky quartz eyes that were behind a pair of glasses. Standing next to her was Tasha. 

Tasha was dressed in black sweater and a pair of denim jeans and pair of uggs, She was built like a boxer and was one in a former life. She had platinum ash blonde hair, and the sides had been shaved off leaving the middle alone. It looked short in the front but in the back I can see that she had it in a small ponytail. She had a set of green hooded eyes.

“Doctor and I already looked around and marked the mine shafts.” Tasha fills us in. 

“You did? Did you check the whole area?” I ask them looking around. 

“Do you not trust us?” Fredda asks annoyed. 

“I do, but you never know.” I tell her shrugging. Sorry Fredda, you can never be too cautious.

“Not that it matters, but the sun it setting can we go to the base now?” Jamie asks us. 

“Da.” Tasha tells us leading the way. 

The area up to the base, was a forest. Tall trees with little to no leaves on them dotted the landscape, the forest floor was coated in a thick layer of dead leaves and twigs and rocks, and dead and dying bushes dotted the area. The sounds of birds, and other animals echoed telling me there was game here. The path that we were on was free of weeds and overgrown flowers. At the sound of an owl Jamie let out an eep and latched onto my arm. I let out a small chuckle and wrapped my arm around her. The path opened up to a large clearing. 

This was no base it was a fucking lodge. The lodge was made out of red wood that was much was clear to me, and it was two floors the lights on the first floor were on and I could hear the team chatting away. The house was elevated off the ground by cement blocks. The roof was painted green along with the front door. There was large porch in the front with several rocking chairs there was something curved into the wood I couldn’t tell what it was. Going around the lodge was an iron fence. 

“This is our new base?” Jamie asks the other two.

“Yes, nice isn’t it?” Fredda asks us

“Fuck yea, but where is our gear?” I ask them.

“There is a shed that has everything. And there is a basement level that has my infirmary, and the two workshops.” Fredda explains. 

“Seems a bit too much.” I mutter out looking around the area. 

“But better.” Jamie points out going in.

End of line


	2. What lies below

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news this chapter was beta'd

‘For most of the history of our species we were helpless to understand how nature works. We took every storm, drought, illness and comet personally. We created myths and spirits in an attempt to explain the patterns of nature. Ann Druyan’

They had been there for as long as man could remember. For as long as we didn’t give into our primal urges they slept. The longer they slept the more we forgot about them, soon they were no more than a distanced memory or a dream. Long since forgotten. But never too far away. We forgot them but they didn’t forget us. For we are what makes them.   
For four long years these things hibernated in the caves below.   
Sleeping and waiting for what they hungered for came back, the hole above shone very little light, but what could be made out from the lights of the moon that there was something down there, and the creature had leather gray skin that was stretched over its body, and there was no hint of hair on the creature's body. It looked more like a skeleton than anything else.   
This skeleton like any other body, you could make out every bone and rib that made up the body easily. Jetting out of its hands and feet were black as night razor sharp claws, and protruding from its mouth were yellowed fangs. The fangs were long ad razor sharp, and its eyes.   
The most interesting aspect of this creature were its eyes. The eyes as large as plates and milky white. There were no hints of eyelids on this thing. Which worked out fine, they didn’t need to blink. The creature let out a shriek awaking the others in his cave. For now he knew that wanted they wanted no needed was here. It was time for them to hunt and fed. 

End of line


	3. A run through the woods

‘I ran around with the other youngsters, hunting, fishing and raising tadpoles and all the rest.  
DeForest Kelley’

I was woken up by a wet tongue, cracking one blue eye open I saw it was sniper. 

“Sniper?” I groan sitting up, the dog let out a soft brake. Sniper was a red and white speckled Australian stumpy tail cattle dog, and he belonged to Rose our pyro.

“Time to run kiwi.” Rose chirps. Rose had short raven black hair and pair of grass green almond shaped eyes. She had burn scars stretching from under her jaw on the left side, going down her neck and side. She was dressed in pair of jogging pants and shirt and sneakers. 

“Right.” I tell her getting up and yawning. I started to look around the room, it had red wood walls, with an oak floor. The floor had a red carpet with white knots at the end. In the room were four maple bunk beds and one single oak bed. In front of each bunk bed was a trunk. Next to the bunk beds, and single bed were a nightstand with a lamp and clock on it. 

At one end of the room was a large window that over looked the woods. There were two closets and an antler chandelier hanging down from the ceiling. I changed into my running clothes and went down to the front door.   
Out there was Rose, Jamie and John. John was tall with a muscular build one would find on someone from the army. She had sunflower blonde hair that was a buzz cut, and a pair of rounded blue eyes. Her running clothes were a pair of gray shorts and a tank top. 

“Shall we?” John asks stretching out her body. 

“Where to?” Jamie asks stretching as well.

“Pauling marked a trail for us, she said just follow the red ribbons.” John explains unlocking the front gate. 

“All right let’s go.” I tell them completing my stretching. The path that Pauling had marked for us was a nice five mile run through the woods. There were twists, and turns and some uphill but not a lot. The trail ended up at a small lake, and just as we made it as the sun was coming up in full force. 

“Not too bad.” Rose mutters catching her breath, and petting sniper. 

“Did the dog need to come with us?” Jamie asks rose splashing some water on herself. 

“You never know when a dog will come in handy.” Rose tells her sticking her tongue out. 

“If you two are done?” John asks them crossing her arms over her chest. 

“I guess we are.” Jamie tells Rose walking away from the lake. 

As we were making our away back to the lodge, 

“Hey Steph aren’t these wild roses?” Jamie asks going off path.

“Jamie get back here.” John snaps walking over to her, 

“What could go wrong if I’m off the path?” Jamie questions the solider as she made her closer to the bush of roses. Sniper suddenly got tense, he bounded over to Jamie and yanked her back.

“SNIPER THE HELL?” She yells trying to swat the dog’s nose.

“Hold up little jay.” I sooth making my way over to where the pair were. In front of Jamie hidden by over growth bush was hole that was boarded up. 

“Is that one of the mine shafts?” Rose asks looking that the wood on top of the hole. 

“So it is, I wonder why this spot wasn’t marked.” John mutters rubbing her chain in thought. 

“Fredda and Tasha could’ve missed it.” Jamie points out. 

“Maybe.” John agrees, Sniper had let go of Jamie shirt was sniffing around the area. 

“Rose there’s something off with your dog.” I tell her watching the dog growl at a tree.

“He’s a dog.” She tells me going over to sniper and yanking at his collar, but stopping. 

“Something wrong?” I ask coming over to her. 

“Hmm? No lets’ head back to the lodge.” She tells me grabbing my hand and walking me back to the path. Well that was odd. If I was smart and looked back I would have seen the marks.

End of line


	4. Be prepared

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ROSE POV

‘The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible. Oscar Wilde’ 

 

This was not good, not good at all. I thought those things were long since extinct. Not good, not good we needed to leave now.

“Something wrong darling?” The soft Southern voice of Delilah whispers into my ear. 

“No.” I tell her, a pair of tanned arms wrapped themselves around me.   
Delilah, was one the shortest members of the team. She had blonde hair with caramel highlights that was up in a loose ponytail. She had rounded sky blue eyes. She also had a farmer's tan, and smelled of oil, grease and metal. And was a little fluffy in the middle. Delilah was wearing a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of jeans and boots. 

“I thought you were putting up signs?” I ask her snuggling into her embrace.

“I was.” She tells me planting a small kiss on the crown of my head. I looked around in all four corners were signs. One was keep out, the second said private property, the third no trespassing, and the last one said keep away. I looked around to see Jamie on the porch reading with sniper and liberty next to her, no sign of Freda, Tasha, Bonnie, Jean, Steph or John. 

“Hey De? Where is everyone?” I ask her.

“Freda, Tasha and Bonnie are in the basement setting up, John and Steph went hunting and Jean is more than likely inside as well.” She explains. That was good, I didn’t have much time I needed to get to work now. 

“All right I think I’m going to go for a walk.” I tell her wiggling out of her hold.

“You sure?” She asks me, I was dressed for a walk. I had stolen Delilah green and white plaid shirt, with John’s old army shirt under it, a pair of faded jeans and sneakers. 

“Yes.” I tell her making my way to Jamie, “Hey Jamie can I borrow your pocket knife?” 

“Umm sure?” She questions reaching into her back pocket and pulling out a clip point pocket knife, “Just give it back.” 

“Don’t worry I will.” I tell her, patting my leg. Sniper let out a bark, and hopped off the porch. 

As I went out towards the trees, I couldn’t help but smile. Steph gave Jamie a clip point pocket knife, while she and John had straight back pocket knives. Funny. I really should have let John get me that knife for my birthday like she wanted to. I mean she got Delilah a clip point knife for her birthday, and wanted to get me a drop point knife. Oh well. 

As I approached a tree I started to crave the Anasazi-symbol for something there, the next tree got the symbol for nothing there, my next tree got the symbol for hidden, the fourth tree got the symbol for fear, the fifth tree got the symbol for good journey, the sixth tree got the symbol for barring, and the last tree for the symbol for holding in one place. 

“Think that will do it?” I ask Sniper blowing away the dust, sniper let out a bark. 

“Okay good, ohh sniper go get me some ribbons.” I tell the dog. Sniper let out a whine but left, he came back with some yellow ribbons. Thinking on it, I hiked for five miles marking off a new running path for us. But still ending up at the lake. 

By the time I came back I was tired as hell and wanted a bath. Steph and John were back hanging from the branch that hung over the fence was a deer, and Steph was skinning and gutting the deer. Next to her were two buckets. One bucket was placed under the deer’s neck for the blood and the other I was assuming was for the organs. 

I went to the shed and grabbed the paint and a brush, not before giving Jamie her knife back. On the back of the first I painted the symbol for holding, the back of the second sing I painted the symbol for eyes the third sign got the symbol for watching and the last sing got the symbol for strong. 

“What in the name of god you doing?” Steph asks dropping the deer organs into the bucket.

“Oh nothing.” I tell her painting the symbols for bowl, mound, under, and in front, “Hey odd question but what are you going to do with those organs?” 

“Clean them, boil them and toss them into a blender and give them to your dog.” She states craving out the meat and putting them on plate. 

“Ohh thank you, sniper will like them.” I tell her that was sweet of her. 

“Welcome.” She tells me working on the tsk in front of her. I grabbed the bucket blood from under the deer, walked far away from the lodge and dumped. 

“That should help.” I whisper, sprinting back to the lodge.

End of line


	5. Relaxing time sort of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ROSE POV

‘Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand. Neil Armstrong’

 

I was laying in the silver tub soaking next to me was a white soap holder with a soft green bar of soap. The lodge had four bathrooms, all set up the same way. There was a tub, and shower stall on the left of the room. On the right was linen closet with a sink and medicine cabinet above it a toilet, and a window. From the ceiling was a lamp. On the walls were small woodland animals carved in they were birds, rabbits, and bears. 

Liberty, john’s gray cat was curled up in the sink sleeping and sniper was laying down on the bath mat. The door was not fully closed and I could hear my teammates talking downstairs. Dinner had gone off nicely. Bonnie our demo loved the deer as did Jean our spy. 

“Let me see, I put seven symbols on seven trees going around the lodge, all four symbols on the back of the signs, changed the running trail, and I painted more symbols on the lodge. Am I missing something?” I mutter ringing out a wash cloth and putting it over my eyes

“Knock, knock is there is a flower in here?” John asks peeking her head into the bathroom.

“If you’re not Delilah then go away.” I tell John. 

“Not happy to see your girlfriend?” John asks me coming in and kissing me on the lips.

“I was hoping to soak in peace.” I tell her taking the cloth off my eyes. 

“And I wished I had my real left leg.” She huffs sitting down on the toilet seat, 

“Sorry John it’s just been a stressful day.” I tell her.

“I heard you were running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Why?” 

“I was trying to map out this place.” I tell her feeling my body sink further into the tub. 

“You can’t fool ex-army rose, you were trying to prep.” John points out 

“I wasn’t prepping for anything. Maybe I was just trying to map out this place?” I snap at her. 

“No you don’t map. Steph maps, I map, Jean maps, and Tasha maps. You don’t map.” She snaps back at me. 

“Why can’t I map?” I yell at her getting mad. 

“I don’t trust you to okay.” She yells back. 

“Thanks John, thanks for letting me know that you don’t trust me.” I hiss turning my back on her. 

“Rose,” She groans out, “I didn’t mean it like that.” 

“Then how did you mean it?” I huff. 

“I meant like because you don’t have a way of keeping yourself okay.” She mumbles.

“I can keep myself safe.” I mutter to her. 

“During a match that is no brainer but outside of a match you’re defenseless.” She admits. 

“Jonathan Doe, I am anything but defenseless.” I shriek at her. 

“Calm down, look you have sniper he’s a good dog. Yes, but you don’t have a weapon. Steph and I both have straight back knives right, Jamie has a clip point knife, De has a clip point to, and I got you a drop point knife. I left it on your pillow.” She admits rubbing the back of her neck. 

“That’s sweet and all but I don’t need it.”

“Humor me then?” She asks me, I let out a snort and rolled my eyes. 

“Only for you my John bear, oddly that reminds me. I found an old mine shift elevator do you think De can look at it and fix it up?” I ask her 

“I don’t see why not. Pauling did say to watch out for those mine shaft openings.” John tells me 

“I know.” I tell her, non verbally inviting her into the water. 

“You little minx.” John says smiling. 

“Only for you.” John wasted no time getting undressed and taking off her leg, she hopped over to the tub and slid in behind me. You could wash clothes on those abs of hers. 

After my bath, and some time playing cards it was time for bed. Bonnie set the alarm system and we headed up to the bedroom. Delilah pulled me into the single bed with her on my right and John on my left. I was between sleep and awareness when I heard it, a shriek. 

“What was that?” Jamie yelps, and bolts into Steph’s bed. 

“The fuck?” Steph whispers petting Jamie’s hair. 

“Could be an animal matting.” I point out. 

“Don’t sound like it.” Steph mutters laying Jamie down next to her. Another shriek priced the air and Fredda jumped into bed next to Tasha, as did Jean with Bonnie. 

“Will it stop?” Jamie whispers curling up into a ball.

“In a bit.” I tell her trying to block out the sounds.

End of line


	6. Unrest

‘Slander is worse than cannibalism. John Chrysostom’

The creatures were not happy. They could hear, see and smell them but could touch them. Something was keeping them out, something they couldn’t see. The largest creature was sitting in a tree watching them. There outlines visible to him and the rest their pack. The smallest creature let out a shriek of boredom. He was hungry he wanted to eat, and he didn’t know why. Why he couldn’t attack them.

The large one let out a shriek of a warning. He knew something was wrong but he didn’t know what. The smallest one let out another shriek and clawed at the ground, he wanted food now. He didn’t get it the prey was right there in front of them. He wanted to eat, his instincts demanded him to. He looked around at the others, they too were starving. They just weren’t as vocal about it as he was. Their leader was being weak, he needed to show that he wasn’t scared. The little creature let out another shriek and leaped towards the chain link fence, but he once he close something burned him. 

He leaped back in fright holding his burn hand, the leader let out another shriek. Another creature smaller than the biggest one, but still big. It was a leaner then the big one as well. He let a low shriek and nuzzled the smaller one and picked up and left. The big one learned something, there was something around the house that would burn them if they got to close. He knew that they needed to wait, wait for their prey to come to them. The hunger they were feeling could wait a little longer. 

End of line


	7. Time out with Jamie

‘Hunting, fishing, drawing, and music occupied my every moment. Cares I knew not, and cared naught about them. John James Audubon’

 

Don’t get me wrong I love my little jay bird. She is the best girl in the world, now if she didn’t snore we would be golden. And if she didn’t wake me up at the ass crack of dawn we would also be golden. Today, me, her, Jean, Bonnie, and Fredda were going to town.

“Where do you five think you’re going?” Rose asks standing next to Delilah. Delilah was wearing a pair of her work overalls, boots and one of her work shirts. Rose was wearing a pair of old jeans, with sneakers, and a green shirt. 

“Going to town, Jamie is getting me a new game processing kit.” I tell Rose, I was dressed in rose red tunic shirt with my jeans with skinny belt and heeled ankle boots.

“I thought you had a processing kit.” Delilah asks me 

“She does but she needs a new one.” Jamie tells her lacing our fingers together. Jamie dressed in too-big pink sweatshirt and a pair of denim jeans. And a pair of scruffy Chelsea boots.

“And?” She asks looking at Bonnie who was dressed in elegant button up shirt with jeans with stripped ankle socks with bracelet and grunge boots. 

“Shopping.” Bonnie tells her fixing her chocolate brown hair that was braided into a Mohawk, she had pair of soft gray rounded almond eyes. 

“I am going with her to make sure she gets all the stuff.” Jean tells Delilah, who was dressed in dark green shirt and a pair of blue skinny jeans. And a pair of heeled boots.

“And you’re going Fre to keep them in line?” Rose asks 

“Ja.” Fredda says who was wearing apricot colored Polo shirt with jeans with choker with brooch and sneakers. 

“Ummm not to delay you five any longer but what’s in the canvas bag?” Rose asks pointing at the canvas bag in my hand

“The deer hide, I’m going to the hunting store to see if they can tan this.” I tell her, “What are you two up to?” 

“Rose found an old mine shaft elevator, going to see what parts we need to fix it.” Delilah explains hefting up her tool box for us to see. 

“We have to go now, see you later.” Jamie tells her smiling and dragging me off towards the cable car. 

The town at the base of the mountain was one those stereotyped towns. It was warm and friendly, and wasn’t that big. All the buildings were grouped together, and had matching roofs. The people were walking around, chatting and smiling. 

“We’ll meet you back up at the lodge?” Jamie asks Jean

“Well, have fun.” Jean tells us leavening me and Jamie, we then walked off to the gun store. The hunting store which was also the gun store was the third building in.

“Big Al’s Game, Fish and Gun Store?” I read off the sing 

“It won’t be that bad.” Jamie says pulling me into the store. There was an elderly man standing behind counter cleaning a pistol. 

“Good morning ladies, how can I help you?” He asks in a kind voice.

“I’m looking to buy a processing kit for my girlfriend.” Jamie chirps out

“You a hunter miss?” The man asks me 

“Yea I am.” I tell him making my way to the counter, “That one.” I tell the man pointing to a kit that had orange handles on it. 

“Ahh the Outdoor Edge® Wild Pak Game Processing Kit good choice. This kit is Lightweight at only 2.6 lbs., consists of eight pieces for proper processing, hard-side carrying case keeps gear secure and a nonslip rubberized blaze orange handles with a horn-pattern inlay.” He explains pulling it out.

“What knives come with this kit?” I ask him

“It comes with full-tang caping knife, gut-hook skinner, boning knife, carbide sharpener, wood/bone saw, ribcage spreader and game cleaning gloves. Will this be all ladies?” He asks me 

“Ahh no, I have this deer hide, can make a few things from it?” I ask him putting the bag on the table. 

“Depends on what you need.” 

“Right, I need a pair of gloves I got the measurements written down, a wallet with D.C on it and a cocker with a rose burned into the leather dead center also got the measurements.” 

“I do think we can do that. If you came by on Friday I will have the items ready for you.” He tells me 

“All right then.” 

End of line


	8. The elevator and the journal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ROSE POV

‘The coal mining industry is very destructive and it doesn't have to be. Kevin Richardson’

 

“So where is this mine shaft elevator?” Delilah asks from behind me 

“It’s around here relax.” I tell her watching sniper run after some birds. 

“It better be.” She mutters. I chose not to answer but we soon arrived at the mine shaft elevator. 

“That it?” She asks walking over to the wooden structure. Delilah went into engineer mode, she set her tool box down and rolled up her sleeves. 

“The head frame is rotten, that needs to be replaced ASAP, the drum is rusted over fuck that needs to go, and the collar needs to scarp. The suspension cables need to be taken out and replaced as well, shit look at this lining it needs to go and needs new concrete, and shit look at this car.” She explains looking it over.

“The car?” I ask her looking at the elevator it remained me a lot of those cage elevators. The elevator was quite large and made out iron with a lever on one side. 

“Yea it’s a good old cage elevator, build to haul up miners and equipment that was needed. That needs to go as well.” She admits rubbing the elevator.

“Can it be fixed?” I question her 

“Well fuck yea it can be fixed. Just let me get to work pulling off some of the smaller stuff.” She tells me pulling out her wrench and getting to work. 

I let out a chuckle; De would go into engineer mode when she found stuff like this. She would just go at it for hours and hours on an end. And there wasn’t a thing we could do to pull her out of it. 

"Sniper, stay with De.” I ordered the dog, Sniper let out a bark and went to keeping an eye on De. I let out another chuckle and set out to explore the area. The soft songs of the birds filled the air; the rustling of leaves also filled the air. And every now and again I would see a squirrel on the ground. Even with what lurked here, it was peaceful forest. I heard the cooing of doves and looked up. 

There was a small nest on a branch, and they were cooing at something. I looked down on the ground and a saw a baby dove, now I got it. I scooped up the baby bird and ran over to De.

“De, look what I found!” I yell keeping the little dove safe in my hands.

“That’s nice Rose, why is this so rusty.” She mutters banging her hammer.

“But De.” I whine 

“Not now rose.” She scolds. Yup she really was in engineer mode. I let out a snort and rushed back to the tree where the doves were. Keeping the baby dove close to my chest I grabbed one branch and put my feet on another and heaved myself up. Grunting I pulled myself up to the branch with the nest on it,

“There you go little guy.” I tell the little dove dumping it back in its nest. The baby dove let out a coo and settled back down in its nest. I was making my way back down the tree, when I saw the knot. Inside the knot was something, my curiosity got the better of me and I took the thing out. It was about the size of book, but it was wrapped up nice and in white fabric. I climbed back down and sat down at the base.  
I unwrapped it to reveal a notebook. 

“I wonder who wrote this?” I whisper peeling back the cover,

‘Day one,  
We fell down a mine shaft today during a match. No one is hurt too badly. Dell is in high hopes of finding a way out of the mine. He thinks there is an elevator that can take us back up. The others are worried that we will never find a way out. I know we will.  
Wolfe.’

End of line


	9. Days 3-18

“Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope”

By the time the sun was setting De was done scrapping a good half of the metal and we made our way back, Not going to risk being out here after dark. John and Tasha were sitting on the front playing a game of checkers.

“JOHN!”I yell running over to the blonde and hugging her. 

“Hey rose bud.” She greets kissing my check and giving me a quick nuzzle.

“You winning?” I ask her as she moved her checker piece.

“Something like that.” She mutters. Tasha moved her red piece and won.

“I win John.” She smirks 

“I can see that.” She admits leaning back in her seat. 

“Hey John guess what.” I tell her as they reset the board.

“What rose bud?” She asks me 

“I saved a little baby dove.” I tell her smiling.

“Good for you rose bud.” She tells me making the first move on the board. 

“Well okay then, I’m heading up the rooms to read call me when dinner is ready.” I tell Tasha.

“Will do.” She tells me. 

I shook my head and went to the rooms and pulled out Steph’s miner’s headlamp she won’t mind me borrowing me. I pulled the covers of my head and turned the lamp on. 

‘Day 3,  
The cold is setting in. The largest of us are doing our best to ignore it. Scott and Remy aren’t fairing to well, they don’t have much meat on them. The cold is effecting them worst than the rest of the team. Dell found the elevator is very confident that he can fix it. Misha is keeping me warm right now and Lawrence is keeping Scott and Remy warm for now

Day 6,   
Three has passed and Dell has done his best. The scrap metal that is down here is not the best but he is working hard. We haven’t seen BLU but we have heard them. They too don’t like this scenario either. Scott has chosen to stay close to Tavish or Misha for heat. Solider is out helping Dell collect the metal. And I am watching, Lawrence the sniper has chosen to be by himself. I pray for his mental health.

Day 9,  
It has set in the hunger. We’ve done our best to ignore it. Lawrence had suggested the worst thing you can think of. We will not do that. I will not sink that low to that. My hunger will naw at me but I won’t do that. 

Day 12,  
Scott, Remy, and Jack cannot move any more. They are too weak to move Tavish and Lawrence stay by their side doing what they can. I feel helpless I am a doctor and I can do nothing. Dell hasn’t stopped trying. He feels he can fix this save us. But I doubt it. Solider is talking to his shovel now, nothing new. 

Day 15,  
We still haven’t found the BLU team yet. Lawrence thinks he can track them down. We are reluctant to let him go. He says he needs to go, Scout and Remy are dying, and we all are. He knows it and I know it. Dell for now has given up fixing the elevator. He too is weak form hangar, Solider is doing his best to comfort him as is my Misha. Tavish and Jack are curled close to each other whispering. 

Day 18,  
Lawrence came back with food. We all know what it is, but is it right? We are starving, which is worst dying of cold or of starvation? The meat tastes like pork, I need to remind myself that this is pork and not what it is. Can we do this?’ 

“Rose?” Delilah voice reaches out from the dark

“EEPP!” I yell falling off the bed and sliding the journal under the bed.

“What in Sam’s hill are you doing under there?” She asks me quirking an eyebrow at me 

“Reading Salem's Lot by Stephen king.” I tell her crawling back up onto the bed, 

“And isn’t that Steph’s miner headlamp?” De asks me 

“Well would you look at that it is. I’m going to return it now.” I tell her smirking and putting the lamp back.

“I don’t know what’s got into you, but it can wait. Dinner’s ready. Jean made chicken something or other.” 

“Sounds good.” I tell her.

End of line


	10. Days 21-30

“Falling in love is like falling into the arms of a starving cannibal. It’s the only time when dinner for two is dinner for one.” ― Jarod Kintz, Love quotes for the ages. And the ageless sages

I hadn’t had a chance to look over the journal in over a week. Matches started up, and things got messy. Blood, organs and body parts. But as the days got shorter and the nights longer I was getting very paranoid. The shrieking was getting louder with each night, but each night we were safe.

Only a few good things came out of all this, one was De getting the elevator working. No one wanted to test it out of fear, but we had it. The other was a new choker. It was made out deer leather with a rose burned into the dead center of it, De got a new wallet with her initials burned into it, and Jamie got a new pair of gloves with her class emblem burned into each glove. 

That night I knew I needed to read it. I got up slowly and surveyed the room. John was curled around Delilah sleeping peacefully. Jamie was passed out I could tell from the snoring, Steph was sleeping on her chest with her headphones in smart girl. Bonnie was on her back sleep talking while Jean was hugging her pillow. Fredda was tucked next to Tasha. 

Smiling I borrowed Steph headlamp again, and grabbed two journals. 

‘Day 21,   
We committed a taboo. Scott had said his finger nails were no more. No he told me and showed me that his nails had been pushed out and claws were growing in their place. He wasn’t the only one. We were all growing claws. Why? 

Day 24,   
My skin was turning gray and it now had the feel of leather. Why? Why was our skin turning gray and leather like? My body was losing fat but I was eating. Lawrence was gone, where we do not know. We think he has gone mad. These shrieking’s sounds were filling the mines. Was I going mad? 

Day 27,   
My body was so thin, I was no long had any hair. We were all losing hair so fast. My friends and lover were turning mad, and acting feral. They had turned into these things, I was trying to hide from them. God I was the last one, God help me.

Day 30,  
I found a way out! But it was too late! I WAS TURNING INTO ONE OF THOSE THINGS! I CAN HEAR THEM! I NEED TO HIDE THIS JOUNRAL! WHOEVER FINDS THIS DO NOT GO INTO THE MINES! DO NOT GO INTO THE MINES! LORD FORGIVE US!!!!!! Lord for…..’ 

My god, they turned into those things. They didn’t have choice but my god. I swallowed the lump in my throat and picked up the other journal. This was larger than the second one. Papers and sticky notes were sticking out it, and the only thing keeping it closed were two worn rubber bands.   
I quickly opened it and started to it

‘There are legends of the Algonquian peoples along the Atlantic Coast and Great Lakes Region of both the United States and Canada of a creature it born form the ice and cold. The legends say that these things will sleep when there food is gone, but once it is back they will awake. There legends state that when a human turns to cannibalism, they will become this thing. The legends say that this thing is a creature or spirit they are not clear. 

This thing is said to in body our greedy and hangar. The more they eat the more they want. They are thin with gaunt skin long limps and large eyes. You must be careful with these things. 

Strengths:   
Eyes: These things have thermal vision must like snakes   
Strength and speed: The may look weak but they are not. They are faster than anything I had ever seen.  
Mimic: These things can mimic another person’s voice. DO NOT FOLLOW THEM! THEY WILL KILL YOU!!!

Weakness:  
Anasazi-symbol: Draw several of these symbols around the area you are in and they cannot pass through them.   
Silver: Silver should wound them and slow them down  
Fire: As creature burn of ice as some of the legends say fire will kill them!’ 

“Hmm.” I hum closing the journal. Creature’s burn of ice, can be killed by fire. Heat vision like snakes I wonder if our hunter can tell me more.

End of line


	11. Taken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ROSE POV

“Nothing makes us love something more than the loss of it.”   
― Rick Yancey, ‘the Curse of the Wendigo’

“You want to tell you about what?” Steph asks me blowing out smoke from the cigarette clasped between her lips. 

“How do snakes see?” I restate. The two of us were on the porch and the sun was setting fast behind us. Steph was sitting in a rocking chair with a strip of leather on her lap, in one hand was her knife, I was leaning against the railing. 

“Why?” She asks me craving a crescent moon into the leather. 

“You were the one who brags about catching and releasing snakes with her dad.” I explain. 

“True, true.” She says blowing out more smoke and craving a circle into the leather, “If you must know snakes have pit organs, which contain a membrane that can detect infrared radiation from warm bodies up to one meter away. At night, the pit organs allow snakes to “see” an image of their predator or prey, as an infrared camera does, giving them a unique extra sense.” She explains she took the last drag from her smoke and craved in one last symbol it looked like a stars. 

“There’s more the pit organ is part of the snake’s somatosensory system which detects touch, temperature and pain and does not receive signals from the eyes, confirming that snakes “see” infrared by detecting heat, not photons of light. To put it simply the hotter something is against something cold the more of a chance the snake can see the body heat.” 

“How would one avoid being seeing by an animal with this thermal vision?” I ask her, Steph let out a chuckle and got up.

“Plan of being hunted by Predators any time soon?” She asks me putting the leather strip around my neck, “Mud does the trick, but the longer it stays on you the more your body warms it.” 

“So it gets remanded mute.” I mutter out 

“That’s the long and the short of it. Do you think Jamie will like it?” She asks me 

“Yea, what are those symbols anyway?” I ask her as she puts the leather thing away.

“Aboriginal symbols.” 

“Kiwi.” I grin, Steph rolled her eyes but then we heard screaming. 

“JAMIE!” We both yell, running off the porch and towards the source. We were running further away from the safety area I made. Shit. 

“JAMIE!” Steph yells, we skidded to a Jamie was lying on the ground crawling away from something. Steph tried to make a move for her but I grabbed her. 

 

“What?” She gasps  
“Don’t move.” I hiss at her. She was going to rebut me, but she stopped when she saw it. 

Out of the shadows, was a creature? It was bigger than Jamie gauge leather gray skin that was stretched over its body, and there was no hint of hair on the creature's body. It looked more like a skeleton than anything else. This skeleton like body you could make out with easy each ribs and bone that made up the body. Jetting out of its hands and feet were black as night razor sharp claws, and protruding from its mouth were yellowed fangs. 

The fangs were long and razor sharp, and its eyes. The most interesting aspect of this creature were its eyes. The eyes as large as plates and milky white. On the right side of its body were burn scars. 

Jamie let out a whimper trying to make her way towards us, but that thing bit down on her ankle, Jamie let out a scream, as it clamped down. 

“HELP!” She screams as she dragged away out of sight. 

“LITTLE JAY!” Steph yells running after the thing. 

“STEPH STOP!” I scream, Steph stopped and gave me the darkest look she could muster. 

“YOU LET HER GET TAKEN!” She screams punching me; I stumbled back holding my new bleeding nose.

“I’m sorry but that thing would have attacked us. Listen and calm down. That thing took her down to its nest. Think about where could it have gone?” I ask her wiping the blood away. 

“The mines that thing took my little jay bird to the mines?” She hisses running a hand through her hair. 

“Yes, now listen, listen. De got the mine elevator working. You can go down and save her. But listen to me. That thing there is more than one of them.” 

“What?” She gasps out sound frantic. 

“I’m pretty sure as to how many there are, I can help you. Do you trust me?” I ask her holding my broken nose.

“Do I have a choice?” She asks me 

“If you want to save Jamie no.”

End of line


	12. Into the Mines

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JAMIE POV

'The only cure for grief is action. - G. H. Lewes'

 

Something was licking me; it was rough and felt like sandpaper, almost like a cat. I could feel that my back was against something smooth and hard, and it hurt. Slowly opening my eyes, I had to bite my tongue staring at me where a pair of milky white eyes. The thing that kidnapped me was licking me. I could just make the thing out in the inky darkness that was covering us. 

Its clawed hands were placed at the sides of my head while its sandpaper like tongue was cleaning my face and slowly making its way down to my neck. What the fuck was this thing doing? First it ambushed me while I was taking a walk trying to figure shit out the pain in my ankle was a reminder of what this thing could do to me, and now it was cleaning me. Every time I tried to move my head away from its cleaning the thing would hiss, prompting me to go back to the forward facing position. 

Finally after what felt like hours it stopped licking me, and stood on its hide legs. As it stood I saw something hanging from around its neck, the things made a clanging sound. The creature let out an audio piercing scream and sprinted out of here. 

“Fuck.” I hiss trying to sit up, the pain my ankle was too much. I let out a string of whimpers as I started to feel around for something anything to help me out. Out of the darkness my hand collides with something smooth with what felt like engraving on it. This reminded me of Steph’s lighter. I felt around the smooth thing finding its lid and clicked it on. It was a lighter; it was made out of silver with dingoes on it? 

“Whose lighter is this?” I whisper looking at it, Steph lighter was also silver but had Australian hobby on it. This was odd.   
I let out another whimper and took stock in my clothes, my maroon colored tunic shirt ripped had dirt and mud on it my skinny jeans had new holes and tires along with mud and dirt. My shoes my poor mid-heeled buckled knee-length boot is made from yellow and white cheetah-spot print fabric were ruined. The back of my left boot had massive bite, and I could see the bite wound. 

It was bleeding sluggishly; the holes were red and angry and looked to be deep. Fuck, just fuck. I set the light down on the ground next to me as I ripped off my shirt sleeve and a tourniquet with it. Using the light I found a femur, oh good god. As I picked it up, I saw there was knife grooves on it? 

“What the major fuck?” I whisper ribbing off my other sleeve and wrapping it around the bone and setting it on fire with the lighter. Well now I had a torch good. Using my torch I survey my surroundings, the walls were made out dark black of rock with wooden supports, were tally marks. I counted them they totaled thirty. Thirty what? Days? Hours? Weeks? As i looked closer there was writing on the wood and rock there were sayings, 

‘Hunt to survive, not survive to hunt 

Herr Vergib uns (Lord forgive us)

Wir haben Sinus (We have sinned)

Это наше наказание? (Is this our punishment?)

Taboo

God has left us 

Ma I’m sorry

Lord why did you do this to us?’ Shit were people trapped down here? As I looked around the rest of the area, I saw a pile of bones well that explains what I was laying on the bones had what looked like teeth and knife marks on them. Mixed in with the bones were scraps of cloth. The cloth was a mix of red and blue with some yellow on it. I picked up a piece to see the class emblem for sniper on it? The class emblem for engineer on another, the class emblem for heavy and the class emblem for demo? 

“Shit and fuck.” I hiss backing out of the room, okay calm down. Clam down, Steph said when these sort of situations don’t get worked up, that will be bad. Take in your area, judging by the rock and supports I was in the mines, okay good. Rose and De both said that the elevator was fixed look for that. 

My pace was slow, my ankle hurt and I was in pain. I was going to have a limp after this, and all the while I could hear the sounds of things echoing in the mines and it didn’t help that on the walls were deep claw marks. Not just those marks, but old caked on blood and writing. No, not writing it was rambling done by a mad men. 

With each step I let out a whimper I had to keep going. After a while I had to stop it hurt too much to move. I needed to rest and close my eyes. As I sat there on the cold hard ground, I started to wait for those things to come and kill me. The echoing of something coming towards got louder and closer, if I was going to dye let them. I didn’t care. 

“Little jay?” A soft accented voice asks, I opened my eyes to see Steph. She was standing there with her miner head lamp and coated in mud? Was she trying to avoid predators? From under the mud I could just make out her leather jacket with graphic tee and skinny jeans and her combat boots. 

“Are you hunting predators?” I hiss at her, Steph let out a snort and kneeled down next to me, 

“Nice to see you to.” She mutters unwrapping the tourniquet, “Not a bad job on the tourniquet, shit this looks bad.” 

“What why?” I whimper as she took out her lighter, 

“This looks infected; I’m going to have cauterized this.” She tells softly

“Wait cauterizes? Doesn’t that involve burning the wound closed?” I gasp at her. 

“Yea it does, look I lied, it’s not infected but, it’s the only way to make sure it doesn’t. Do you trust me?” She asks me 

“I do but it will hurt.” I whimper grasping at the dirt under me, 

“I know here.” She says giving me something. It was a piece of leather; I didn’t to be told what to do. I put the leather in my mouth. The hand that didn’t hold the lighter gently lifted up my left and then she cauterized it. It hurt, it fucking hurt, I had to bite down on the leather trying not to scream out in pain. God let it stop, tears prickled in my eyes. 

“Shhh, shhh it’s alright little jay.” She soothes kissing my forehead. 

“Thank you.” I whisper taking the leather out of my, only to stop. The leather had things craved into. It looked like the moon, the sun and the stars. Shit. Steph stood and picked me up and placed me on her back. I was about to ask about the leather when we both froze. 

“Shit.” I hiss, the creature found us.

End of lin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Australian Hobby


	13. What the fuck?

‘Life comes from physical survival; but the good life comes from what we care about. Rollo May’

 

I was never going to doubt Steph’s physical upper body strength again. I mean she was bolting down this tunnel with me on her back, and she didn’t seem effected by my weight. This also made me ponder how much I weighed? We soon rounded a corner and came to a skidding halt. 

“Why did we stop?” I whisper into her ear, she didn’t move muscle and I saw why. Guarding the elevator was one of those things. It was standing on its hind legs, it was taller and ganglier then then the one that caught me. It still had the leather gray skin, the sharp claws and the large white eyes.   
This one however had scraps of red clothing hanging limply from its upper body, and a necklace. It looked vaguely like Steph’s teeth necklace. 

“Listen, I’m going to put you down, and you’re going to sprint to the elevator. I’ll be right behind you.” She whispers setting me down on the ground. 

“What if it attacks you?” I whisper, she didn’t verbally answer me, no she pulled out a black glock 43 from the back of her pants. Well that that answers that question. 

“GO NOW!” She yells grabbing my hand and we ran, the creature let out a loud shriek and started to run after us. Steph didn’t waste time, she fired off the gun, the creature jumped and the bullet didn’t even graze it.

“Shit and fuck.” She hisses pushing me into the elevator and closing the cage doors right as the animal punched on her. Steph let out a scream as the thing pinned her down, she then let out an agonizing scream as the thing bite down on her left shoulder. 

“STEPH!” I scream trying to open the doors.

“DON’T!” She hisses through clenched teeth, the creature had her arms pinned above her head as it bite down on her blood was dripping out of the mouth of the creature. From what I could see she raised one leg and kicked the thing where its genitals should be. The creature let out an angry scream, Steph scrambled to get up, just as she did the thing rose up again and slashed at her back. 

She let out another agonizing scream as she ran to the elevator, I opened the cage door for her just as that thing leaped on it, the elevator rattled from the sudden attack. She pointed the gun but didn’t shoot, she seemed fazed by the necklace it was wearing a six tooth necklace. She reached through the bars of the cage and ripped off the necklace and then shot the thing in the shoulder. The creature let out an angry yell and feel off the cage in a heap.

“Pull the fucking lever.” She hisses tucking the necklace into her pocket. I nodded and pulled the lever sending us back to the surface. Her bite wounded looked inflamed, and raw. While the five jagged claw marks looked raw and irritated. All the wounds looked red and angry. 

“Steph?” I tenderly ask her reaching out.

“Don’t just don’t.” She hisses putting a hand to her shoulder wound. I didn’t press the issue, we rose to the surface to see it was twilight out. The elevator came to a stop, and she grabbed my hand and we ran. As we ran, we could hear one of those things screaming. 

“Shit!” Steph yells, not letting her wounds slow her down. We saw rose up ahead waving a lantern motioning for us to hurry the fuck up. 

“Nearly there.” I gasp, but then everything slowed down. The creature that took me came out of right field and tackled rose to the ground, Steph didn’t spare Rose a second glance as we ran to the fence. 

“We have to help her.” I gasp as we watched rose wrestle with that thing. The creature slashed at her arms, shoulders and parts of her face, rose didn’t even hold back her screams of pain. The screams drew out the team. John and De were gearing up to go out and help when Steph stopped them. No words were spoken, but Steph pulled out the gun and grazed the creature.

The creature stopped its assault on rose and looked at us. That was Rose’s opening she pulled out a pair of knives and stabbed the creature in the eyes. The creature let out a howl of pain as rose kept her grip on the handles and went clock wise craving out the things eyes. Rose kicked the now wounded creature pulling the knives out, and bolted back to us. The creature was covering its eye sockets, as it slowly bleed out. Rose was coated in blood, dirt, and sweat.

“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!” I scream at her, rose didn’t get a chance to answer. No we all heard a pair of screams that rung in the air. Two of those things leaped out of the shadows. One was the creature that Steph shot, and a new one. This one was as tall as the short one, but this one has the remains of a red suit hanging from its body. The two taller creatures picked up the wounded one and left. 

“We have FUCKING WENDIGOS!” Bonnie screams at Rose, who was pulling the eyes off the knives.

“Yea we fucking do.” She tells the Scotts woman.

End of line


	14. Do love conquer all?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some nude bites coming up.

Does love conquer all?

The worst of my wounds was my broken nose thanks to Steph. The scrapes on my arms, shoulders and the nicks on my face were nothing bad. Just a lot of blood. Fredda told De and John that they could fix me up. Fredda had ordered Steph to go shower then she would fix her up. Jamie was okay, a little shaken but okay. 

“Now hold still.” Delilah orders realigning it, I was sitting on the toilet with only my bra on littered with cuts on my arms, shoulders. 

“FUCK!” I growl at the sudden pain to my face. 

“You deserved that.” John grunts from her spot next to me. 

“No, no I think she deserves a lot more.” Delilah hisses pouring some of the rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball. 

“Do you trust us?” John hisses at me as she kept giving me the stink eye. 

“I do trust you.” I whisper bracing myself as Delilah dabbed the cuts with the cotton ball. 

“Then why? Why didn’t tell us about those things?” Delilah asks me not going easy on the cuts. 

“I didn’t want to worry you two. You saw what those things could do. I just.” I whisper staring at the floor.

“Just what? Didn’t think we could handle it?” John hisses at me, “That thing could have killed you. You could have died!” She roars at me. 

“I KNOW THAT! I didn’t want to lose you two like I lost my uncle!” I tell them feeling tears well up in my eyes. 

“MARY MOTHER OF GOD FREDDA!” We heard Steph roar,

“Stay still!” Fredda yells out. 

“I think Steph got the blunt end of it.” Delilah mutters wiping away my tears. 

“Rose, sweetheart we love you. You could have put some blind faith in us.” John whispers kissing the crown of my head. 

“I didn’t want to lose you two. I didn’t want to risk it.” I whisper leaning against Delilah as she hugged me gently. 

“What do you mean lose us?” John asks rubbing my back.

“A wendigo is born or it’s a spirit never sure which legends are right. But they both say this when a human eats another human they become one of those things. My uncle Jack the RED teams pyro that was lost here, turned into one of those things.” I explain feeling more tears coming on.   
I just wanted to cry, so I did. I cried my heart out, I didn’t want lose the two best things in my life. 

“Rose.” De says gently kissing me on the lips, 

“We would never let anything hurt you. We would rather die than become one of those monsters.” John explains rubbing my back in circles. 

“B-b-b-but what if?” I hiccup as De pulled away. 

“No what if love we won’t let anyone on this team become one of those things.” De tells me bandaging up my wounds. 

“You don’t know that.” I whisper.

“We don’t but we’re the best damn RED team around, no one is going to die.” John tells me 

End of line


	15. Can we talk?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nude bites coming up.

‘You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'  
Eleanor Roosevelt’

Sometimes I thought Fredda was a got a kick out of being a doctor. After she cut off my jacket, and shirt she treated them the best she could and told me to go take a shower. After my shower she would bandage them. As the steam from my shower cleared and I opened the shower stall, I was met with a shock.

“Little jay?” I ask seeing her standing there in new clothes. She was standing there in my Gold coast sunrise tee and her red and blue pajama bottoms,

“Jamie?” I ask stepping out of the stall, that was all it took for her launch herself at me I let out a hiss as her hand grazed the marks on my back, I staggered back grabbing ahold of the stall. 

“Why?” She asks, starting to cry into my chest. Umm well this was awkward, on the sink were my clothes, they were old dark grey sweatshirt and a pair of blue skinny jeans and my holey combat boots.

“Jamie can we talk about this when I get some clothes on?” I ask her trying to reach out for my pearl gray briefs.

“No, I need to talk now.” She wails burying her face into the middle of breasts. 

“All right, all right.” I tell her snagging my briefs and putting them on before we sank to the floor. 

“Do hic you hic think hic they hic suffered?” She cries into me. 

“Who knows?” I offer dying to smoke a durry right about now, Jamie reached behind her and pulled out one of my brown durries and a silver lighter with dingoes on it. 

“Where did you get this?” I gasp flicking it on, rather surprised that it worked. 

“I found it in the room where my…” She starts but couldn’t finish it. Didn’t blame her, Rose told us that those things were the old RED team. 

“So he was stuck down there.” I whisper lighting the durry with the lighter she gave me, the room soon smelled of maple. 

“Him and the rest of the team, he wrote ‘I’m sorry ma.’ His last words were ‘I’m sorry ma.’ How could he?” She wails warping her arms around my waist not being mindful of my still open wounds on my back.

“First off ouch, second off that was on his mind don’t blame him.” I tell her taking a drag from the durry. 

“Sorry,” She sniffs taking her face from the middle of the breasts and laying it on the left one. “Your dad wrote ‘Hunt to survive don’t survive to hunt’ why would he write that?” She asks me sniffling. I didn’t know how to answer that, I don’t think anyone did. As we sat there, we both heard angry yelling in German, French, and Russian. Rose must have given them the journal to read.

“You haven’t answered my question.” Jamie voice chimes in she snaked on hand out from my back and was no using to trace a random scar on my collar bone. 

“I don’t have one.” I tell her exhaling some smoke. 

“The great Stephanie Mundy doesn’t have answer?” She fake gasps at me. 

“Yea, yea, yea. But my best bet is those things they hunt to survive they survive to hunt. My dad wasn’t about that. He hunted to live, and taught me that.” I whisper sucking in more smoke from the durry. 

“You miss him don’t you?” She asks me.

“Every damn day of my life.” I tell her exhaling the smoke out of my nose. 

“He took care of you, and trained you. He loved you and now he tried to kill you.” She mutters out.

“Yea that he did, but maybe that was his way of asking me to kill him.” I think out loud.

“Kill him?” She questions me. 

“I don’t think he is happy, I don’t think he will ever be happy till he is put down. He wants us to do it.” I explain taking the last drag from the durry. 

“Then we need to ask rose.” Jamie tells me lifting her neck for me to see the leather cocker was around her neck now, “Thank you.” She tells me kissing me on the lips.

“Welcome, now get off of me I need to get dressed.” I tell her kissing her back and swatting her on the ass.

End of line


	16. The plan

“I haven't finished revisiting Sleeping Beauty. As a faerie tale, that one is rife with inherent difficulties. After all, the world doesn't stop just because one person is asleep.”   
― Anna Sheehan, A Long, Long Sleep

They were all sitting, each of them having a sour look on their face. Jamie was sitting on Steph’s lap while Tasha was keeping a strong hold of Fredda. And Bonnie was standing next to the fireplace while Jean smoked in her chair.

“What were those things?” John asks from her spot on the couch next to De. 

“Wendigo’s, creatures that are born or brought into this world by a heinous and taboo act. Born of ice and snow these things will hunt to kill you.” Bonnie explains to us. 

“Born of ice and snow? Didn’t you say they are brought into this world?” Jamie asks the demo.

“Aye it is one or other. None of the legends are quite clear. But what we do know that once is taboo is done these things are born.” She explains looking at me.

“What taboo?” Delilah asks me with a worried look on her face. 

“Cannibalism, is the only to turn. Any one bite or scratched by them are safe.” I explain a look of relief spread onto Jamie and Steph’s faces. 

“Those things out there aren’t just some random strangers one them is my dad, another Jamie’s brother.” Steph says snorting her hand drifting to Jamie’s wounded leg. 

“One of them was wearing my papa’s suit.” Jean mutters blowing out some smoke. 

“Bitte does this mean that those things were the RED team that was stationed here before us?” Fredda asks looking at us.

“So it seems.” John tells her doing a half shrug. 

“What could cause them to resort to cannibalism?” Jamie whispers looking at me and Fredda.

“They fell down into the mines with no way out.” I tell her looking down.

“Ja that they did, the team spent thirty days trapped down before they turned.” Fredda explains adjusting her glasses 

“Thirty? That explains why I found thirty tally marks in the room I was being kept in. Not just that, but finale words scarps of red and blue clothing. And bones.” Jamie gasps burying her face into her hands.

“Jamie what did the bones look like?” Fredda asks the scout.

“Human with bite and knife marks, guys they went mad down there. On the walls there was rambling of mad men and blood. So much blood.” She whisper turning to bury her face into Steph’s neck as she spoke. 

“They went crazy down there. sounds about right.” John speaks up 

“How do we kill them?” Tasha asks, she asked the question that was hanging in the room,

“Born of ice and snow we burn them.” Bonnie fills her

“Why haven’t they tried to get in here before?” De asks looking at Rose. 

“I put symbols going around the house to keep them out. It was just bad luck that Jamie got captured.” Rose explains. 

“Rose there’s only way we're going to end this.” Bonnie tells her looking at the window. 

“I know.” I tell her looking outside, eight pair of eyes were watching us.

“Were being watched, I bet you any money they are less than happy.” Steph says lighting up. 

“Hmm how come?” Jamie asks her taking the cigarettes out her lover’s mouth and inhaling some of the smoke. 

“Rose blinded one of them, if they have a pack mindset then they want revenge more than anything else right now. I’m going to go out on limp and ask they want to eat us?” Steph asks taking the cigarette back. 

“They do, and this going to sound crazy but we're going to need to blow up the lodge.” I tell her listening to the wendigo's howl and shriek. 

“That we do, listen up team and listen well” 

End of line


	17. Time for it to end

The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.  
Plutarch

With all my time working for RED we had some good plans, so bad plans and some plans that would make you worry about our mental health. This one of those please check our mental health plans.   
The plan was simple; we would first get all of the grenades from the shed, along with the rainblower. Bonnie would fix the bombs to go off on a timer lighting this place up. We were all wondering why she grabbed both the rainblower and the backburner.

“Rain is to light to light this place up!” She yells holding the flamethrower above her head laughing the like devil. And backburner because she wasn’t taking rain with us. 

“Are you sure about this?” Jamie asks me checking her pistol

“No, but what other choice do we have?” I ask her crossing out the symbols on the trees, with each crossed out symbol those things got louder. 

“That the last one?” She asks me 

“Yea come on.” I tell her pulling out my knife, and keeping a trained out for danger. The last thing we had to do was ex out the symbols on the sings and house. 

“All done?” John asks crossing out the symbols on the house liberty was on her shoulders.

“Yea, rose and Bonnie ready?” I ask her,

“Just about.” She tells me picking up her air strike from the ground next to her, Delilah was standing not too far off with frontier justice close to her side sniper was on the other side. I spotted Fredda with Kritzkrieg strapped to her back and overdoes hanging from her belt. Tasha wasn’t taking chances in her hands was iron curtain, Jean was smoking and flipping black rose in her hands but I could see diamondback. I adjusted the strap on classic to make sure it was there.

“We ready?” Rose asks coming outside backburner

“As ready we will ever be, Bon ready?” I ask her as Bonnie came out with the grenade launcher. I could smell the burning decoys and it stank. Let see if these took the bait. 

"The last of the grenades have been set and the decoys are lit and burning babies.” She tells me smiling like a mad man. 

“That my que?” De asks slashing out the last of the symbols on the sings, there was an echo of shrieks as things knew. 

“All right no one move, until I say so.” I hiss, wrapping an arm around Jamie. 

No spoke or moved, as they came leaping out the trees, the first one to appear had to be largest of the nine, this was the heavy. He was wearing what looked like the remains of his vest and shirt, he let out a shriek, a smaller more with the tattered remains of white lab coat came out of the darkness stopping next to the heavy. Fredda took in a sharp breath but didn’t speak. 

Another pair came out of the darkness one was wear the remains of the soldier’s jacket, while is partner was wearing a pair of filthy overalls. John and De looked frozen in fear but didn’t move or speak. The third pair that came out screaming. The big one had an eye patch over its right eye and a black vest clinging to its body, while its partner had smallest remains of the pyro suit hanging from its limbs. Bonnie wanted to make a move but didn’t.   
And finally my dad, Scott and there spy leapt out of the darkness. Scott was the one in back of my dad, whimpering, dried and crusted blood was around its eye sockets. As much as I wanted to I couldn’t move. None of us could. 

The heavy looked around, and soon saw the massive heat source behind us. He let out a howl and jumped into the house, quickly followed by the other eight. 

“Steph?” Jamie asks me,

“One at a time.” I whisper. First was John who did a fast walk, followed by De, then Jean, Fredda right after her, Tasha followed, Jamie went after Tasha, and then I went. Rose came after me, keeping an eye for them.

“Where’s Bonnie?” Jean asks as we ran down the path

“She’s coming, she coming.” Rose tells her trying not listen to the screams. We made it to the cable car, and rose took out her flare gun and shot it off. The signal, we wait a second, then another and there was explosion. 

“BONNIE!” Jean wails trying to make her way back, John grabbed hold of her.

“She can’t.” John tells Jean holding her, as the spy tried to fight her way of John’s hold. 

“She might have.” Fredda tells her pulling out a syringe she was getting ready to stick her when.

“You going to sick my spy?” Bonnie asks staggering over smelling of burnt wood and flesh.

“BONNIE!” We all yell.

“The dead is done, they have been laid to rest.” She tells us pulling out of bottle of scotch from her back pocket. 

“We have hope, that they moved on to a better place.” Rose whispers.

End of line


	18. Goodbye

If you don’t believe in ghosts, you’ve never been to a family reunion. ~Ashleigh Brilliant

Sleep came fast for us that night, after called Pauling and told her that the lodge exploded due to a gas leak. She told us to find a hotel room for the night and she would be there in the morning. So we did.

Out of the things that I dream about being back home in Alice Springs was not one of them. Being back on that old wooden swing that my granddad made for me, it made me feel like a child. 

“You grow into a beaut kit.” A soft male soft says

“Dad?” I whisper, as I was being pushed on the swing. 

“Yea it’s me kit, I just wanted to come and say.” He tells me softly pushing on my back.

“You went and became a monster and attacked me, dad I…” I want to say I missed you and I loved you.

“I know kit, I love and miss you. Let’s just enjoy this time we have together now aye?” he asks me.

“Aye.” I say agreeing with him.  
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Why was back home in the old brownstone? Why was sitting here listening to the old grandfather clock click away, why? After what happened with Scott how was I going to tell ma? And the boys? 

“Scott.” I whimper out trying so hard to cry. 

“You called?” His cocky asks me, I looked up to the entrance of the kitchen to see him standing there smiling.

“SCOTT!” I yell running over to him and hugging him tightly. 

“Hey you crying? We don’t cry.” He tells me wrapping his around me. 

“Scott I’m sorry. I’m sorry we couldn’t save you.” I cry into his chest. 

“Don’t sweat it, we kind put on ourselves. Listen kiddo, I’ve missed you so much.” He tells me kissing my forehead.

“And I you Scott, I’ve missed you much.” I whimper as he held me tight. I didn’t care if this was dream this was my brother.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why was back here? Why I was back in my old home in the countryside? My home with nothing but flowers and trees around us. The smell of fresh bread hanging in the air.

“Why am I here?” I whisper seeing how blue the sky was.

“Bonjour ma fleur.” The voice of my papa says, as he spoke I was pulled into a hug from behind.

“Papa?” I whisper softly 

“We ma fleur, you have grown up so much.” He tells me 

“This isn’t real you died. Papa why?” I question trying to figure this out.

“Hush now ma fleur, let us enjoy this. I was bad father, I missed out on so much of your live. I just wanted to see you one last time. And tell you.” 

“Tell me what?” I ask feeling tears roll down my face. 

“Tell you that I love you and I’m very proud of you.”  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
I was confused, I was in Tavish old workshop? How did I get here? I remember falling asleep in that blasted hotel room. 

“What do we got here a wee quine?” The mocking voice of my brother asks. There stood Tavish drinking out of bottle of scotch.

“You ya bas!” I scream marching over to him and taking the bottle from him and drinking it and nearly choking on it.

“Don’t be such a neap.” He tells me taking the bottle back.

“You're dead I just killed you.” I point out trying not gag on the scotch that I just drank.

“Aye that you did, you don’t acting like bairn?” he asks me.

“Why?” I ask him

“Bon I didn’t come here to fight I came here to tell you something lass.” He pleads.

“And what is that?” I ask him

“Bon, I’m very proud of you and to watch over mum for me.” He tells me softly.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Where was I? Ah yes I was back home in Germany, the smell of Oma baked goods hung in the air. The cooing of doves, could be heard from the study. The door to the study was open, I wasn’t allowed to do go in. But it felt like I should. So I did, inside I was meet with a voice.

“Hallo meine Taube.” The voice of my Vater speaks.

“Vater?” I whisper shuffling into the study. 

“It has been a long time meine Taube, look at you all grown up before my eyes.” 

“Vater you, how?” I asks him 

“Do not worry Fredda, this is just for to come and see you. Meine Taube I was awful Vater wasn’t I? I never got a chance to see you grow up and become this.”

“Vater please don’t leave me.” I beg him. 

“I’m sorry Fredda but I could only stay long enough to say how much I love you and miss you.”   
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
It was freezing, and I was in a log cabin? Hmm homely with hand carved décor. I was back home in Russia, and the smell of fresh cocked bear told me as well. But why? 

“Tasha.” The booming voice of my cousin announces

“Misha?” I gasp seeing the bear of the man who was my cousin standing there. 

“You are no longer little girl, that I remember.” He tells me smiling.

“Da, I have grown into a strong boxer like cousin.” I tell him, “Misha you were killed how?” 

“I was given time to see you once more, I wanted to tell you thank you.”  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
I hated army housing. It was bore, all the same cookie cutter houses that line a street. The only thing that made this home different was the smell of cigar smoke. 

“John come here.” My dad barks out from the living room, wait dad?

“Dad?” I ask coming in to see him sitting on the couch smoking his cigar. 

“Just going to stand there private?” he asks me blowing out smoke

“Dad how is this…?” I ask him

“Look John don’t worry about it. I got limited time here, I just wanted to let you thanks, I’m proud of you, and I miss you kid.” 

“Dad.” I whimper rushing over to him and hugging him around his middle.

“Don’t cry John, it will be all right.” He soothes.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
I was back home Bee cave, back in my uncle and grandma house. I missed this the smell of homemade baked goods, breads and the smell of oil and grease. 

“Hey there De.” My uncle’s warm voice says.

“Uncle Dell?” I question seeing him there standing in the flesh, 

“Been awhile hasn’t it?” he asks me smiling.

“Too long, how is this real?” I ask him feeling myself shake.

“It doesn’t matter De, it just matters that you saved us and ended that damn curse that was on us. I was never too proud of the fact that we did that.” He explains to me. 

“Uncle Dell.” I whisper reaching out for him. 

“It’s gonna be okay you have loved ones who care for you. And I will always be looking after you. I love you De.”  
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
I was back in the old firehouse in London. I was sitting on a fire truck watching the rain pelt down on the earth. It smelled funny, but with any luck the team wasn’t going out today.

“Hey Rose set any good fire lately?” the warm voice of my uncle Jack asks me

“Not today.” I tell him, as he sit down next to me.

“Really that one you did to end this curse sure was a blast.” He tells me 

“So this is what?” I ask him

“This is my farewell, we’re doing it. You ended our pain and suffering you did good rose.” 

“You’re proud of me?” I ask him with hope in my voice.

“Never have I ever been any less proud of you.” He tell me smiling.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
I woke up feeling like a weight was lifted from me. As I looked around I could see we all had that same feeling. Something happened and we were better form it. They were free.

End of line


End file.
